Decisions, Decisions
by Morrigue
Summary: Bonnie's married to Matt but has been secretly having doubts. When Damon reawakens her feelings for him she suddenly finds herself with a heartbreaking decsion to make between the two. Set after Dark Reunion please R&R!
1. Shadows From The Past

Bonnie sat on the front porch looking up at the stars. Matt was asleep in bed oblivious of his wife's insomnia which was probably a good thing as he would ask her questions that she wouldn't be able to tell him the answers to. 

She took another sip of hot chocolate and with her free hand she attempted to pull the blanket closer around her but only succeeded in dislodging it from her body entirely. She sighed, why did things never happen the way they did in the movies? but she quashed the thought almost immediately as a couple of years ago her life was like something out of a horror movie - people dying around her from vampire attacks, her best friend coming back from the dead- twice, and herself developing awesome and undisputed psychic powers that even scared herself sometimes.

Bonnie put the mug on the floor and stood up when suddenly the blanket was draped around her shoulders by someone who hadn't been there a minute ago.

"You ought to wrap up warm on such a cold night," Bonnie jumped at the voice and knocked the mug of chocolate over in her attempt to back away, but the owner of the voice just flashed her a brilliant white grin in the dim light of the porch,

"you're scared, you shouldn't be you know. There's nothing to be scared of." A horrible sense of Deja-vu crept over Bonnie- she hadn't sensed him, but then she had forgotten he could mask his presence. She had also forgotten how gorgeous he was.

"I'm not scared, you just made me jump that's all" she said defensively drawing away from the long fingers that stroked the side of her face, she was suddenly angry with herself for thinking about him- she was married to Matt now and she wouldn't betray him.  
Damon smiled and Bonnie's heart skipped a beat,

" I could hear your thoughts a mile away Bonnie, you were thinking about me, wondering what it would be like if you and I were together"  
Bonnie blushed bright red and tried to push past Damon to get to the safety of her house but he stepped casually in front of her and held her arms.

"I don't suffer fools blindly Bonnie- you should know that by now, and I don't take kindly to people who play me for a fool either"  
She could feel the anger radiating from his body and his enormous power, but he was undeniably attractive even without using his powers she doubted there were many women who could resist him.

"Let me go otherwise I'll scream the neighbourhood down and wake Matt" she told him through gritted teeth, he relented and she took a step back rubbing her arms.  
A light went on upstairs, Damon was already melting into the shadows,

"the choice yours Bonnie- come with me and I can make your dreams come true- you could be so much more powerful than what you are now, or you could stay here with Matt wondering until the day you die what could have been."  
With that Damon disappeared in a flurry of wings leaving Bonnie on the porch trying to reassure Matt that she was alright and that she'd just had a bad dream.


	2. A Decision is Made

The next day Bonnie was unusually edgy and jumped at the slightest noise. Matt was understandably concerned about her and phoned into the shop where she worked to tell them she was sick, then he insisted that she went straight back to bed- which made Bonnie feel even worse than she already was, how could she deliberately hurt Matt?

He was poetry in motion; handsome, loving and attentive he was everything a girl wish for, so why didn't she feel happy? Why was she thinking about Damon?

Bonnie didn't know what to do, she felt totally alone. More than ever she needed someone to talk to who could explain why she was feeling the way she was, but there wasn't anyone anymore they'd all moved away and she was sure that none of them could offer her any explanation or advice.

"Bonnie what's wrong? Was it that dream you had last night? You've hardly said a word to me all day and I'm worried about you"

Bonnie turned away from the window to find Matt standing behind her, looking as though he wanted to take her in his arms and hold her tight against his chest but from the way he held himself she could tell that he was scared to in case she pushed him away.

"I'm sorry Matt, I love you but I don't know what the matter is with me right now, I can't explain it right now, all I can tell you is that I need some time on my own to sort things out. I don't know how long I'll be gone" she hung her head in shame not wanting to see the hurt she knew was in his blue eyes right now.

She heard his sharp intake of breath," I trust you Bonnie, I love you, when you're ready I'll be here."

There was no question of how the rent was going to be paid or how he was going to pay the bills, Bonnie knew that he was too much of a gentleman to even ask her those questions he would work double shifts at the diner if he had to, at least it was the summer vacation so it wouldn't interrupt their studies.

Matt walked out of the room and Bonnie started to pack a suitcase, she'd call work later to tell them she wouldn't be in, she didn't think Damon would make himself known to Matt but she didn't want to be there when he found out that she had run away rather than face him.

Matt wasn't around when she emerged from their room, which was just as well. After checking briefly outside for any sign of Damon, Bonnie made a quick exit to the nearest train station where she caught the next train to the airport, what she had said to Matt was partly true, she did need some time on her own to think.

But she didn't need the added complication of Damon right now and he would track her down easily enough if she stayed in America so there was only one thing for it- she'd go visit her grandmother in Scotland.

Matt was feeling confused and hurt, he didn't know why Bonnie couldn't tell him what was going on and what was in the dream that caused her to up and leave like that. Bonnie was the type to wear her heart on her sleeve and as her husband she should have been able to tell him what was wrong, it worried him that she couldn't and he had a feeling that once she had sorted herself out she might not come back.

He found himself wandering the streets trying not to cry at the thought of going back to the empty house, he thought about going back to his Mum for a shoulder to cry on but she wouldn't understand and didn't know about his wife's powers.

He sighed and scuffed his trainer on the sidewalk, why him? What was so wrong with him that the two women that he loved most in life besides his mother ran off? Why hadn't she told him where she was going and why now when they were starting to a build a life together?

"Matt?" came a voice behind him, he turned around and saw Stefan standing behind him. He hadn't the energy to do anything else other to break down in front of him and sob "She's left me Stefan, she had a bad dream and then she left." Stefan put his hand on his friend's back to offer as little comfort as he could.

"Come on. Come back with me" was all he could say, Matt nodded blindly in agreement and the two boys walked to Stefan's car and drove silently to the boarding house, where a concerned Elena met them at the door after Stefan contacted her using his powers.

Matt got out of the car and fell into Elena's arms where he sobbed so hard that Elena thought his heart would break. "What happened Matt?" Stefan asked impatiently earning a scowl from Elena. "I don't know exactly, she had a bad dream last night but she wouldn't tell me what it was about. She said it was nothing but then she was really jumpy today and she didn't speak to me all day until I asked her what was wrong. She just said that she loved me and she needed some time on her own to sort things out but she didn't know when she was going to be back."

Stefan and Elena looked at each other, shocked. This was totally out of character for their friend who would surely have confided in them if something was wrong. "When did she leave? Did she say where she was going?" Stefan asked, Matt just shook his head, "I couldn't bear to see her go so I left just after she told me, I don't know what time it was but she wants to be alone Stefan."

Elena, who had been cradling Matt nodded in agreement. "She'll come back when she's ready I'm sure and whatever the reason was that she left I'm sure it was the right thing to do." At least I hope so, she thought to herself and then quashed it upon seeing Stefan raising a questioning eyebrow.

Bonnie's stuff was packed and she was on her way to the airport to get the next flight to Washington where she would change and head to England. She tried to block the guilt from her mind by switching the radio on, but it didn't help as all the songs seemed to be break up songs or sad songs, so she tried to turn her thoughts to something else such as how much she had left on her credit card and whether or not it would be enough to get her to Inverness airport where she hoped her Gran would be to collect her. Her thoughts elsewhere as she came to the slip road leading onto the freeway, she didn't see the car speeding up on her right until she started to move over. She swerved back but was going too fast and she ended up in the barrier at the side of the road. "Damn It!" she swore hitting the steering wheel, so much for her great get away. She saw the lights of another car pull alongside her and she tried to wipe away the tears of anger and frustration that were building and reached into the well of the passenger side to get her cell phone from her purse. "No! Go away!" she yelled suddenly as a familiar prickly electric sensation came over her. Someone knocked on the window and she drew herself up. "I said go away! Don't you think you've caused enough trouble already?!"

I haven't done anything except to give you a choice. The seeds of doubt were already sown, why else would you be running away? Came a voice inside her head. Bonnie sighed, grabbed her purse and scrambled out of the car to where Damon was waiting with a guarded expression on his face. "Now, can I give you a lift to the airport or are you going to get a cab? You won't be going anywhere in that" he nodded towards the car. Bonnie sighed, admitting defeat.

"Why?" she asked. "Why were you following me? Did Elena tell you to keep any eye on me? Well they were obviously right, stupid, silly Bonnie can't do anything right!" She went to try and drag her case out of the trunk but Damon stepped in front of her and lifted it out easily.

"Well, as your so called friends and husband have made no attempts to go after you I'd thought I'd do the right thing and make sure that you at least got to your destination safely." Bonnie stared at him for a second unsure whether to believe him or not and then gave up and got in the car.

The Ferrari sped off with Bonnie glumly looking out of the window for the rest of the journey, eventually falling asleep.

When she woke up Damon was pulling into the drop off point of the airport. He got out of the car and put her case on the pavement without even so much as a glance at her, Bonnie grabbed her case and mumbled an awkward "thanks." Before she could walk away Damon grabbed her arm and put two plane tickets in her hand, one for her flight to Washington and one for her flight to Scotland. " I will wait for you to make up your mind Bonnie, but I won't await around forever." Damon got back into his car and pulled away, leaving a dumbstruck Bonnie staring after him.


	3. A new friend

Back in Fells' Church Matt had just begun to calm down and think about going home when his cell phone rang. A couple of minutes later he went pale.

"My wife was in the car, she was on her way to the airport! Oh my god, oh my god! No, she hasn't rung me. Yes of course I'll ring if I receive any news. Thank you"

He hung up and turned to Stefan and Elena, "They found the car, it crashed on the slip to the freeway into the barrier. Bonnie wasn't in it when they found it." The tears were threatening to well up again, Stefan got up and took his car keys from the side. "Elena, stay here with Matt I'll go look, she might be trying to hitch a lift or something. Call me if you here anything." Stefan didn't think he'd be able to cope with more tears from Matt and Bonnies' behaviour had become increasingly alarming and out of character. How would she be able to get to the airport now? He didn't think that she would hitchhike but then again she might, he just didn't know. Equally he wished that Meredith wasn't away with Alaric right now, he liked her ability to think calmly and rationally in any situation.

Of course! Stefan rushed back inside to his room where Matt was on his cell phone. "He's trying to call Bonnie but her cell's switched off" said Elena, guessing Stefan's reason for bursting in. Matt shook his head and shut his phone. "I've left a message for her to ring me urgently. God I hope she's okay."

Stefan nodded and turned to leave when he saw Mrs Flowers on the landing. "I'm sorry if we disturbed you Mrs Flowers, one of my friends has gone missing." The old lady nodded and just as Stefan started down the stairs she called after him "she'll be okay Boy, your brother made sure she got to the airport safely." Stefan stopped dead, Elena and Matt came out of the room, both shocked. "She just needs some time to make a decision. It's not going to be easy though the poor dear," she said to Matt, although the last part was said almost to herself.

"Well, goodnight and try and get some rest," with that she walked down stairs without any further explanation.

"How would Damon know?" asked Elena, Stefan shook his head Matt just looked glumly from one to the other, then realisation dawned. "He was there wasn't he, when she left me. He couldn't have Elena and then when he helped us to fight Klaus he discovered Bonnies' powers had developed. But she was with me so he couldn't have her then and now she's left me he's seen an opportunity," Elena grabbed his arm look desperately between the two boys. Not now, please she sent silently to Stefan but he shook his head slowly at her.

The unmistakable sound of a Ferrari engine came from outside and before she could stop them, Matt and Stefan rushed outside leaving Elena to grab a bath robe and follow in their wake.

Damon got out of the car and grinned at Stefan and Matt who were standing on the porch, muscles tensed ready for a fight. "A welcoming committee, well isn't this nice. Hello Elena, there's really no need to put the robe on. I much prefer you without it, especially under that light." Stefan leapt at his brother followed two seconds later by Matt as Elena hastily pulled the robe shut around her. Matt got brushed away like an annoying fly as Damon took hold of his brother with both hands and threw him back onto the porch with a snarl. "What have you done with my wife?! If you've even so much as hurt a hair in head…"

" You'll what? You stupid little human, you have no idea what you're dealing with . She was out of your class anyway," "just stop it! All of you just stop it!" yelled Elena.

"Damon, what have you done with Bonnie?" she asked as she bent down to see if Matt was alright. "I haven't done anything with her. I saw her leaving so I decided to follow and when after she crashed I took her to the airport. She asked me to let you know that she was okay but perhaps I shouldn't have done if this is the thanks I get, especially from you, brother," he snarled.

Damon opened his car door but Elena ran towards him, "Wait! Damon, please. We're sorry, we're just worried about Bonnie. Did she say where she was going or when she'd be back?" Damon flashed his million watt smile at Elena that made most girls go weak at the knees. "Since you asked so nicely I'll tell you. Scotland and no she didn't say when she would be back. I didn't ask," and with a knowing look at Stefan who was glowering on the porch, "is there a reward perhaps, for the information?" He reached towards Elena's robe but she slapped him away and stepped backwards holding a hand up to warn Stefan not to react.

"I'll take that as no then and bid you goodnight fair lady." With a small bow he disappeared into his car and sped off, leaving Elena relieved.

"Do you believe him?" asked Matt as he got up, Stefan nodded. "my brother may be a lot of things but he's not liar. I guess we just have to wait and see now, I'll give you a lift home" Matt nodded.

Later on, after Stefan had returned, he sat on the edge of the bed and said to Elena "Damon's not telling us everything. There's more to it than that, I'm sure of it." Elena sat up in bed and put her head on Stefan's shoulder, "what was it Mrs Flowers said about a decision that Bonnie had to make? Do you think Damon's' got anything to do with that?" Stefan kissed the top of her head tenderly and put an arm around her, "oh love I don't know what to think right now, except you look beautiful even when you're sleepy." Elena raised her head and smiled at him, Stefan turned and kissed her full on the lips, pushing her to the bed.

It had been a long flight to Washington and an even longer flight to London where Bonnie had been able to book herself into a Travelodge at Heathrow airport with some of the money that she saved, instead of sleeping in the departure lounge all night until her flight left for Inverness the next morning. After a quick bath she felt quite relaxed for the first time since she left Fell's Church the day before, she took a piece of paper from her purse and dialled her Gran to let her know of her visit, but since no one was home she left a message and fell into an exhausted slumber.

Her flight to Inverness the next morning took her 2 and half hours and over the Cairngorm mountains, they reminded her of home and she immediately felt guilty about the way she left Matt and not telling him the whole truth. She knew that her Gran would be able to help her, after all she was a witch as well and someone she could talk to who would understand more than most what she was going through. Bonnie stepped out of the aircraft to bright, cold sunshine and as she walked towards the airport she saw her Gran waving to her. She was so relieved to see her that she ran into the terminal and threw herself into her Gran's arms.

"Och now pet! What's all this?! Are things that bad?" Bonnie just nodded and buried her head into the older woman's shoulders. The resemblance between the two women was very noticeable. Bonnies' hair and heart shape face was from the Scottish side of the family, but her height was from her mothers' side who were all short men.

They collected Bonnies' luggage from the carousel and put in the back of her Grans' muddy landrover. The drive took four hours through miles of heath with not another soul in sight except for the occasional glimpses of deer and once Bonnie spotted a couple of highland ponies from a herd that was allowed to roam free and wild.

Along the way Bonnie told her Gran about everything that had happened to her since she had seen her last summer, including Stefan, Damon and what happened to Elena and her new found powers.

By the time she had finished her story they were halfway up the dirt track that lead to the house. "Well you're up to your neck in it lass, there's no denying it. But you're welcome to stay for as long as you want, it'll be nice to have a wee bit of company for a change and but we're going to need to learn about these powers of yours, especially if you've got vampires running round after you. Right, out we get, we walk from here on." At the end of the track was an abandoned village, or what was left of it. There were cottages with chimneys and no roofs, some buildings had corrugated iron roof and some had only two or three walls as they had either fallen down or the bricks reused over the centuries. Bonnie got out of the car and just stared at the breath taking scenery before her, the village stood on a rocky outcrop of land on the north west coast of Scotland and as the sun was slowly setting she looked across the sea at the many small islands dotted around and the large pointed mountains of Skye.

"Come on Lass, no time to stand there dithering there's another 40 minute walk yet." Bonnie turned around, startled out her day dreaming by her Gran's voice and then quickly ran after her Gran who had got her case out and was carrying it off at a fast pace. The walk took them over a granite path that ran alongside the sea but then turned right and made its way a bit further inland to where Tara McCullough's large Victorian house stood with the old stable block that was now used as a guesthouse for family and friends another 5 minutes walk away.

Bonnies' grandmother was 60 and a very active woman, she could certainly walk a lot faster than her granddaughter who was not used to the rugged Scottish terrain. Somehow Bonnie managed to keep up with her and was soon taking in the fresh air and the smell of the sea, it felt so different from Fells' Church, calmer and more peaceful, but at the same time there was still a strong power radiating from the rocks.

They soon arrived at her Grans' house and after she unpacked Bonnie went downstairs to eat the broth that her Gran had cooked on the range.

Over dinner Bonnie learnt the story of ColliGhille and how the remote villagers feared outsiders, then when the school teacher retired there was no one to take the classes anymore and so a teacher came from the outside. No one, not even the teacher knew that he had Tuberculosis for which there was no cure in those days, until he was dying. By that time it was too late and the whole village succumbed to tuberculosis and eventually died, the children were amongst the first.

"I had a dream the other night of children laughing and singing one minute and then the next crying and screaming" Bonnie shuddered.

"Aye, they ken you were coming Lass. You can here them on clear nights when you go down to the village, but they won't harm you. It's the Selkies you want to watch out for." Bonnie looked confused so her Gran explained.

"Selkies are the sea people, they're humans that have returned to the sea. They take the form of seals as long as they have their skins on, but sometimes on bright days, they take their skins off and become human."

"What do they do?" asked Bonnie who loved hearing about this sort of thing. "Well they're mainly just bonnie lasses who like to play in the sea. Many a man has tried to take a Selkie skin so that they would agree to become their wives, as they cannae go back to the sea if you have their skin. But you of all people have to be careful of the men folk, they are a lot like your vampire Damon from what you've told me. They are virtually irresistible and if you're foolish enough to cry seven teardrops into the sea at High tide then they will come and seek you out. If they take a fancy to you then they will take you back home with them." Bonnie looked a little startled by her Grans' seriousness. "I've got enough on my plate at the moment. I don't need anymore men complicating things," she said trying to keep the tone light.

The next morning Bonnie was up early as she couldn't sleep, so she decided to take a walk to the village, staying well away from the beach. As she was breathing in the brisk sea air she noticed a young woman come and stand next to her, gazing out to sea in the same direction as Bonnie. "'Tis a bonnie day is it not. I'm Ursilla and you are a McCullough I see." The young woman was about Bonnies' age with long golden brown hair and large black eyes. "Uh , hi, yeah. I'm Bonnie. I'm staying with my Gran Tara for a while. How do you know her?" Ursilla laughed, "ach, but everyone knows Tara, she has the sight and has a history going back to the Druids. Are ye here to learn the craft from her then Bonnie?" Bonnie nodded and hastily changed the subject. "What else is there to do around here? It's a really cool place, but I mean what would you do at night?" Ursilla laughed. "Och, the people round here usually have a wee dram down the Olde Inn which would be an hours drive from here. Myself, I don't go in for that sort of thing, I prefer to stay at home with the bairns."

"Oh, you have children? How old are they?" Bonnie didn't think she looked old enough to have children. "Four and Six, both boys. They've gone out in the boat with their father." Ursilla looked out to sea again, avoiding Bonnies' gaze.

Bonnie suddenly couldn't stop herself and found a string of words tumbling out of her mouth. "You've looked everywhere you can think of and it's not there. You can't go back home can you?" She put her hand over her mouth in shock but Ursilla smiled sadly at her. "Ay, you've the gift alright. 'Tis true, my husband has my skin, but he's probably destroyed it by now, I've searched all over the house for it and it's not there."

"The boat" Bonnie shut her eyes tightly against the words. "That's what Tara told me as well, but I cannae get access to it as he keeps the keys with him all the time, he hides them when he gets in and I dinnae ken where he puts them." Ursilla put her head in her hands and sighed.

"What about when he's drunk? Couldn't the keys be taken off him then?" a plan was forming in her mind but at the same time Bonnie felt that it wasn't her place to interfere. "No Bonnie, I have to look after the bairns while he goes to the pub, and his best friend Charlie Murray takes him there and brings him home. Charlie was there when Duncan stole my skin." Bonnie her arm around her new friend, she didn't know what else to do, except wish that Stefan and much to her annoyance Damon were here, they'd be able to help her.

"Look at me!" Ursilla exclaimed, trying to shake the sombre mood. "There's me being all mournful and keeping you from whatever you were doing. I'm sorry Bonnie."

"No! Really, I just came down to get some fresh air as I only arrived here yesterday and I'm still a bit tired. It's nice to find a friendly face round here." The girls smiled at each other. "Well you'd better go before your Gran thinks you've been swept out to sea and the bairns'll be back soon from their boat trip and I have to go cook dinner for them. I'll see you around Bonnie." With that Ursilla ran over the rocks to a small battered old car and sped off down the road, leaving Bonnie pondering on yet another supernatural mess that she was about to get herself into.


	4. The Storm

Over the next few days, Bonnie went with her Gran to collect wild flowers, seaweed and other local things that could be used in herbal remedies. Bonnie also started meditating and practicing how to use her powers and to block them when she didn't need to use them. One day her Gran gave her a small, plain gold ring and asked to Bonnie to tell her about it.

"I feel very down, very sad. But loved as well, the person whose ring this is was loved a lot, to the end."

Her Gran nodded, "aye. That was a ring that was given to me by my mother when she died. It was her wedding ring. You're doing very well Lass, I'm proud of you." Bonnie wasn't so sure, she hadn't even begun to start thinking of her awful situation and she didn't even know where to start, it was impossible. "Oh Gran, what am I going to do? I'm in such a mess. Matt's great, he's perfection, but Damon's, well, unpredictable, dangerous and gorgeous to boot. But that night in the clearing when he looked at me, his barriers were down just for a second. Oh Gran, he's so lonely." Bonnie sighed and stared into her tea.

"If you're going to choose him, it has to be because you love him, not because you want to heal him. In my day it was a lot simpler, we went on dates." Bonnie suddenly collapsed into a fit of giggles. "Oh, that's so funny. I can't imagine going on a normal date with Damon!" The giggles soon subsided as suddenly as they started "Damon isn't looking to go on dates," she explained to her bemused Gran. "Damon is looking for someone to spend all eternity with and she has to have power. Elena could barely resist him but she's with his brother and he's sort of accepted that so now he's after me. He scares me," Bonnie sighed again.

"Enough of this moping around. You see those big black clouds out at sea? They mean that there's a storm brewing and we're going to need a few supplies before the storm sets in. Could you drive to the village and get some things for me? I have a list here and if there's anything that you want then just get it." Bonnie was given some money and the list and as she went out the door her Gran called after her "drive straight back now, you need to be here before the storm or else you'll need to stay in the village where it's safe," Bonnie turned to question her Gran but she'd gone so she shrugged it off and drove to the village. As Bonnie hurried round the shops getting her Grans' shopping she bumped into Ursilla "Hello Bonnie, getting some emergency supplies are we?" Ursilla grinned as she looked at Bonnies' basket. "I prefer Tuna to chocolate as comfort food myself, but I suppose everyone's taste is different."

Bonnie pulled a face at her new friend's teasing "urgh! Gross! Chocolate is the best any day of the week. Do storms round here usually cause this much panic?" Ursilla nodded, her expression suddenly serious. "Aye, we're on the coast and if there's a fierce one then it'll land here first and your Gran's house may be cut off. Good luck with your shopping Bonnie, I'd better be off now." Bonnie stared after Ursilla, there was something in this storm that people were scared of and they weren't telling her and that made Bonnie scared as well so she hastily grabbed the rest of the list and ran back to the Land Rover, the clouds were already closing in but Bonnie was sure that she'd make it back in time.

Bonnie drove as fast as she could drive safely, but halfway to ColliGhilly she realised that she might not make it, but as the mountain road had nowhere to turn round she carried on. All the while the sky was getting darker and darker and she began to sense a heavy presence. Thunder crashed suddenly over her head, making her jump and scream a little she was nearly at ColliGhilly and not far from the house, there was no turning back now.

Suddenly the thunder crashed again, this time lightning followed with an almighty crash and almost too late Bonnie saw a tree falling down the mountain side into the road. She slammed on the breaks and got out of the car, the tree was too big for her to move she'd have to go back to the village but as she got in the land rover and put it into reverse the rain came down so hard she couldn't see out of the windscreen, she put her hazards on and started to reverse slowly but it was impossible. She tried to phone her Gran but she couldn't get a signal. There were two options, sit tight or start walking.

Back at the house Tara was getting worried as the phone line was down, there was no signal on her cell and there was no sign of Bonnie. The storm was close now and she could feel the black presence inside getting angrier and then there was suddenly a knock at the door. Tara rushed to the door and her heart sank as she opened it, it wasn't Bonnie. "She isn't here, she went to the village but she's not back yet" she said. "The storm's getting stronger, she has to be here before it hits." With that she shut and locked the door, praying her granddaughter would come back to her safe.

Bonnie meanwhile, had decided to walk as she had a niggling feeling that it would be safer then staying in the car. She had managed to clamber over the tree and started to walk along the mountain road jumping at every clap of thunder. She walked close to the crash barrier trying to keep an eye on the mountain, the lightning flashed and the thunder rolled. Bonnie suddenly regretted her decision to walk and she turned around, but when she got back to the land rover she found the tree had started off a small landslide that had hit the land rover, she was trapped.

"I wouldn't say trapped, but I'd say you needed rescuing." Bonnie jumped out of her skin and gasped in shock when she turned around and saw a rather wet Damon Salvatore standing besides her smiling smugly, the light in his otherwise black eyes dancing. "How? Why? Where?" she couldn't get the words out of her mouth.

"I'll explain later. Right now we need to get out of here." his expression turned serious and Bonnie just nodded. Damon lifted the tree from one end and with not too much effort dragged it out of the way, then after clearing a couple of small boulders from around the land rover he opened the door for Bonnie on the passenger side and then the next second Bonnie found him sitting next to her and the engine of the jeep running."Damon?" she whispered staring out of the windscreen, "what's in the storm?" Damon turned to look her, his face cold and hard."I don't know what it is but it's angry. Now buckle up." With that he put his foot down on the floor leaving Bonnie bracing herself as they sped round the hairpin bends at top speed despite the rain.

In no time at all they arrived safely at ColliGhilly, but as they drew up to the car park Bonnie could see someone standing on the edge of the foreshore in the wind and rain gazing out to sea. "That's Ursilla!" she cried as Damon stopped.

"Whoever it is can stay there. I have to get you back" he snapped but Bonnie unbuckled her belt, opened the door and ran towards her friend.

"Ursilla!" she shouted, the Selkie looked round startled to hear her voice. Her expression changed to horror the next second as Damon caught up with Bonnie and in one fluid movement he had his arm around her waist and had lifted her off the ground."Damon let me go!" yelled a furious Bonnie as Damon began to walk towards the track, but he didn't reply.

Ursilla started running towards him yelling at him as well. "Put her down Vampire or you'll get us all killed! This is the work of the blue men, they'll not be after her!" she yelled. Bonnie chimed in "she's a Selkie Damon, she's needs our help!" whilst she was trying unsuccessfully to wriggle from his grasp. Damon stopped and put Bonnie down, muttering a curse under his breath. Ursilla rushed over to them, her face was pale and her eyes were red and puffy where she'd been crying "Oh Bonnie! I saw my brother the other night and I told him that you'd found my skin and it was on the boat, he was so angry he went to the chief of the Blue Men," she started sobbing and Bonnie gave her a comforting hug.

Damon just stood there listening intently, Bonnie could feel his power and it fascinated her, she felt almost drawn to it. "Who are these Blue Men?" Damon asked abruptly, Ursilla turned towards him and told him of the men with blue skin who were the Scottish branch of the Mer. Family who lived in deep caves underwater caves and like their more well known cousins they would swim alongside ships and try to lure the sailors into the sea, or create a storm like the one that would be upon them at any moment. Ursilla told how her brother had swum to one of these caves and had struck a deal with the chief, her skin in return for her husband whom they both knew would be taking his boat out round Skye to Lewis. Then she told how he left very early that morning whilst she was still asleep and when she woke up she found that he had taken her boys with him, now the storm was here and they were in the Minch and she had no way to reach them.

Bonnie felt a huge surge of power from Damon and she turned to see him staring out to sea, she tried to comfort her friend as she waited for Damon to finish finding her husband. A minute later he turned to her and said harshly "they've been picked up by a coastguard, they're going to be okay but their ship sunk so no doubt you'll get your skin. Now we need to go to the house, I don't think the chief of these Blue Men will be very happy that your husband was rescued." With that he picked up one woman under each arm and ran at supernatural speed to the house in about a minute. The storm continued to roar overhead as he knocked on the door and Bonnies' Gran opened it. "Oh Bonnie! Thank the Gods you're safe! Come in- all of you" she yelled above the wind looking especially at Damon.

Once inside she made the girls change from their wet clothes into some dry ones, whilst Ursilla was changing and her Gran was making the hot toddy Bonnie cornered Damon. "I thought you were going to wait for me to come back to America" she said softly so no one could overhear.

"I got bored" Damon shrugged. "If you want me to go when the storm's over I will, but whilst I'm here it would make more sense for me to stay." He smiled with one corner of his mouth and Bonnie smiled back.


	5. The Kiss

Thanks for the kind reviews. Hope you like this one, please read in a room away from boyfriends!

"I'll think about it." Bonnie couldn't help herself, even after all that she'd been through recently Damon was so beautiful that no girl could resist him and he knew it. He was dangerous and it brought out the daredevil in Bonnie.

Damon laughed and Bonnies' heart skipped a beat. " I will await your decision then, right now I believe that you are wanted downstairs." Bonnie started, as if from a dream. When she was with Damon her passion and desire for him were just so intense and his beauty so hypnotic that she didn't notice anything else.

"Oh, right. Of course." Bonnie turned away with great difficulty and went down to the kitchen where two pairs of eyes turned to stare as she came into the room, "what?" she blushed. Ursilla smiled a knowing smile but said nothing, Bonnies' Gran frowned but said nothing.

"When will it be safe to go out?" Bonnie had suddenly noticed that the storm was still raging overhead and the house was shaking. "Not for a while yet. The Blue Men's storm will drag every human that ventures outside into the sea. I only hope that my wee bairns will be okay" Ursilla said.

"If you plan to return to the sea and your brother has set the Blue Men on your husband, then what will happen to your children?" Damon asked leaning casually in the doorway to the kitchen, Ursilla glared at him.

"They'll come with me, they have skins. I'll not leave my bairns behind." Ursilla became so incensed by Damon's remark that she had nearly spilt her hot toddy when she stood up.

Damon didn't say a word. One minute he was leaning in the kitchen doorway, the next Bonnie heard the front door open and close. Everyone looked at each other in shock for a second until Bonnie got up from the table and ran towards the front door, with her Gran and Ursilla close behind.

Bonnie opened the door and was thrown backwards off her feet by the force of the wind. As she struggled to her feet a hand shot out and pulled her to her feet, Damon held onto her hand just a little too long and said to her "stay inside where it's safe." With that, the front door shut and Bonnie was left staring at the closed door. A minute later she felt a huge shockwave of power, she turned to look at her Gran who had felt it as well, judging by the look in her face. "The storm's clearing, the Blue Men are retreating!" Ursilla exclaimed, "he's sending the Blue Men back to their caves." Ursilla sunk to her knees and began to weep, the door opened and Damon staggered through.

In no more than a minute, Damon had gone from immaculately dressed powerful vampire, to being weakened and windswept to the point that he collapsed in the hallway. "Ursilla, help me get him upstairs. Bonnie, go pull the blinds in the room next to yours and switch the lamp on." Bonnies' Gran ordered.

With some struggle they managed to get Damon upstairs and onto the bed. Ursilla removed Damons' shoes and Bonnie and her Gran removed his tattered leather jacket, then suddenly Bonnie was alone with Damon.

"Damon? Damon? Can you hear me?" Bonnie whispered, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible so he wouldn't hear that she was close to hysterical. "Yes, I can hear you Bonnie." Damon whispered as he opened his eyes slightly.

"Are you going to be okay?" Bonnie asked with a lump in her throat. Damon smiled slightly. "Eventually, yes." Bonnie gulped at the answer and rolled up the sleeve of her jumper, "you need blood don't you," it wasn't a question. Damon gratefully took her wrist and bit into it. It hurt- a lot but the pain eased a bit eventually and Bonnie felt as though she was floating on the clouds, a nice warm feeling.

Damon pushed her wrist away from him and wiped his mouth. "Thank you." His eyes had those strange lights in them that made Bonnies' heart flip flop and she suddenly felt light headed. "I'll be fine. You need to go and lie down, I took too much" said Damon, his voice full of concern .

"I'm not leaving you Damon. You're not well." Bonnie felt as though she was having a weird out of body experience, why was she saying these things to the vampire that was responsible for her leaving her husband and nearly wrecking the life of her best friend? "I'll be fine." he was trying to make her go away but his voice was weak and Bonnie could sense his powers were as well.

"Move over. I'm staying here then." she sighed as she sat on the bed. Damon looked at her in surprise and shock, but with a lot of effort moved over on the bed so that Bonnie could lie besides him.

"This doesn't mean I've made my choice." she said as she stared at the ceiling, Damon's eyes were making her feel dizzy. "I know" he whispered, but he stretched out his arm, Bonnie raise her head and laid it on his shoulder. Despite herself she shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

When she awoke Damon was standing at the window with his back to her and no shirt on. Oh god, thought Bonnie. Sensing she was awake her turned round and suddenly was sitting on the edge of the bed. "Welcome back, everyone was worried about you." His eyes and voice were hard, Bonnie sat up a bit quickly and felt dizzy. Suddenly Damon's arm was round her, supporting her and she looked up into his fathomless eyes with the lights dancing like stars in the night sky. He leaned towards her and she smiled weakly, her hand stroked his cheek and then he kissed her gently and ever so softly on the lips. Bonnie returned the kiss softly, her heart went into overdrive and she shut her eyes.

His lips were warm and gentle on hers and Bonnie felt a fire and intensity in it that she had never know in any of her boyfriends' kisses. She kissed him harder and she felt a subtle change as his canines began to grow, but instead of turning her off, the change made her press even harder and for what seemed like an eternity there were fireworks whizzing round her head whilst she was kissing Damon. The kisses became lighter and he started kissing her cheek and nibbled her ear which had such an effect on Bonnie that she nearly gasped out loud. Lighter and lower, Bonnie leant back obediently, she almost in a trance state when Damon's little feather kisses got to her throat and she barely noticed when his teeth punctured her skin, instead she felt as though she floating on a fluffy white cloud, she didn't want it to end. She started to feel an intense need and longing coupled with a fierce desire, it was though she was inside Damons' head feeling his emotions and the barriers were coming down.

Damon suddenly drew back and wiped his mouth with a tissue from his jeans pocket that Bonnie didn't even know was in there.

He smiled and bit his wrist, then he offered it to a wide eyed Bonnie who found herself grasping Damons' wrist, licking and sucking the blood hungrily while he had his eyes shut and his mouth open as though he were in ecstasy. In fact, Bonnie realised that she could feel that Damon was in ecstasy, as much as she was. Suddenly he pulled back and Bonnie saw that his face was it's usual unreadable mask.

"I think that's more than enough for the minute bella picolina." He smiled fondly at the shell-shocked redhead gasping for breath on the bed. Damon pulled his t-shirt on over his head, the muscles in his back rippling as the tight piece of cotton was pulled over them. Bonnies' eyes grew wider, she didn't feel she could cope with much more of this.

"Get some rest Bonnie, your supper will be ready in 10 minutes and you'll need to compose yourself." In the moment she took to what little bit of her senses that she had left together, Damon had opened the window in her room and was already halfway out. "Wait! Where are you going?" She asked, alarmed.

"I've got some business to take care of." and he jumped out of the window. Suddenly a crow flew up and away into the night sky, leaving Bonnie wondering if he was coming back.

Bonnie got up slowly and made her way down to the kitchen, where her Gran stormed over to her and lifted up her hair on both sides of neck. Bonnie winced as she touched the bite marks and anger flooded into her eyes. She suddenly felt ashamed of what she had let Damon do to her, especially since she had come all the way over to Scotland to prevent such a thing happening while she made her mind made up.

Throughout the whole meal Bonnie sat in silence while her Gran stomped and huffed her way round the kitchen, not uttering a word to her granddaughter. After leaving most of her meal, Bonnie went upstairs to her room and called Matt. She struggled to control the emotions in her voice, especially as his voice croaked when he answered with a desperate "Bonnie?"

"Matt. I. How are you?" Bonnie breathed, trying to remain calm.

"I'm… holding up. How are you?" It hurt her to hear the forced calm in his voice, he sounded almost cold. "I'm.. okay. I 'm sorry I crashed the car Matt. I'm sorry for everything, I didn't mean to hurt you. I , I just needed to hear your voice again, I've missed you so much. I have to go now, Bye Matt." Bonnie slammed the phone down, her emotions getting the better of her. She pulled on her jacket and slipped quietly downstairs and out the front door while her Gran was engrossed in watching television.

Once she was out of the house she ran and ran, not knowing where she would end up or even caring. Her heart was torn between the two and she was struggling to choose. Matt had always been there for her when she needed him, without questions or demands and she loved him very much. They had been friends before and she had admired him from afar when he was with Elena, but after she came back they had become closer somehow and everyone was so happy that they were going out and that things seemed back to normal at last. It had seemed only right that Matt propose and that they should get married.

But if she was honest with herself, Bonnie hadn't forgotten the day when they went to Vickie's house and for the first time she had sensed Damon's power with her psychic abilities, she was fascinated and drawn to it. She remembered grabbing the first thing that came to hand in her fear and finding herself attached to Damon's arm, but she also remembered the way he used his power over here and would have bitten her if Matt hadn't intervened.

But then there was the clearing after Klaus had practically killed Stefan and it was Bonnie and Damon left, when he dropped the act and they were just a boy and girl facing certain death. When Elena came back, Damon stood there on the edge of the circle of friends and Stefan went to invite him in but Damon refused- "I'm not like you." As he was looking at her, his shield slipped enough for Bonnies' powers to get a glimpse of the emotions that he was feeling.

Before she realised, Bonnie ended up at ColliGhilly, the tide was in and it was dark. She picked up a couple of stones and threw them with all her force into the sea, trying to take out all her frustration and pain on them. It didn't work. Ignoring the waves rushing up around her walking boots, Bonnie sat on the little rock behind her and started to cry for the first time she had left Fells Church, all the hurt she had been feeling suddenly overflowed. She had forgotten her Grans' warning about the Selkie men until she saw a handsome naked man with long brown hair come walking out of the sea towards her, she tried to make a run for it but she slipped and nearly fell on the rocks. The surefooted Selkie started running towards her, gaining ground when she slipped and then when she reached the beach he reached out and grabbed Bonnies' arms, forcing her down onto the beach.

Bonnie screamed at the top of her lungs as he tried to undo her jeans, the Selkie just laughed.


	6. Love Found and Lost

Another seal suddenly appeared on the shore, Bonnie didn't see it shed it's skin but she recognised the voice. "Leave the wee lass alone Sean! She's a McCullough and my friend!" yelled Ursilla as she came running up to the shore towards her brother.

Sean turned as she came up and knocked her back with his arm, Ursilla fell heavily on and Bonnie heard the thud as her head hit the rocks. "Stay out of it Ursilla! You've become too attached to the humans" He turned towards Bonnie and held her waist while he started ripping her jeans off with his sharp seal teeth.

Bonnie screamed again and struggled against his grip but he had her tight, she managed to get a leg free and kicked him in the side. She turned to try and run but he had her again, this time he tried to drag her back towards the sea. Bonnie felt powerless and scared, she was trying to keep her head above the rising tide but was becoming weaker every time she struggled.

Then she was free, she struggled up the shore gasping for breath. She turned to see what had happened and didn't know whether to laugh or cry, the Selkie was being lifted clean off the ground by a seething Damon. Ursilla was lying a few feet to his left, unconscious, Bonnie ran towards her friend trying not to look at the vampire who was sinking his teeth into the Selkie's neck, there was blood flying everywhere.

He stopped as quickly as he started, the Selkie was screaming in pain. "Try something like that again and you'll have to go through me. Next time I might loose my temper and do something that you will regret." he hissed.

He looked over to where Ursilla was now sitting up holding her head with a pale Bonnie trying to examine her. Then he looked past Sean towards the sea where the rest of the seal colony was waiting and watching. "Looks as though you're wanted, let me help you," snarled Damon as he threw the Selkie out to sea. He walked over to Bonnie and offered her his hand, she looked at Ursilla who nodded, "I'll be fine lass. You go with your vampire, I'll be seeing ye around, no fear about that."

"Thank you" whispered Bonnie to her friend who slipped her skin on and loped into the sea. She turned towards the outstretched hand which was still waiting for her and took it, Damon pulled her quickly to her feet and before she knew it she was in his arms and he was carrying her back to the car park.

"Thank you, as well" she whispered, Damon raised an eyebrow at the redhead in his arms. "You have to make your mind up soon picolina, I might not always be there to protect you when you disobey your Gran." He set her down gently by a black Range Rover Sport and took his jacket off and draped it over her shoulders.

As he drove her back to the house along the track that she usually walked, Bonnie stared out the window thinking. Could she really go back to Fells Church and Matt after all of this? She was pretty shocked by what had just nearly happened but she felt better now she was in his Landrover.

"Your Gran is away. I suggest you go to bed and stay there, if my brother hears about this he'll be a thorn in my side for the next 500 years." Bonnie turned her face to the window and smiled to herself, she knew that despite his comments Damon cared very much what Stefan thought about him. They drove up to the house and Bonnie shrugged off the jacket that Damon had given her. "Will you come round tomorrow? " Damon arched another eyebrow at her,

"I never say no when a pretty girl invites me round for dinner," he said enthusiastically, Bonnie sighed with as much energy as she could muster. "Can't you behave for 1 minute?!" Damon just laughed causing Bonnie to laugh along with him, again she felt like they were just man and woman, perfectly normal.

When they got back to the house he made no attempts to kiss her, but watched dutifully until she was safely in the front door. Bonnie knew that Damon would be sitting outside the house for the rest of the night, keeping watch on her. She felt dirty, cold and tired after her ordeal, so she took a hot shower and his her jeans in her suitcase. Once in bed, Bonnie didn't feel sleepy at all. She had to choose one, and she had made up her mind that she would make her decision tonight, so she lay there thinking about them both.

When she thought of Matt she felt a twang of guilt, she was married to him and she loved him but a month into their marriage she started to have niggling doubts that she had pushed to the back of her mind until Damon came along. She had to ask herself now, did she love him? Or was it just that in the aftermath of Elena's death and then her return that because people expected them to be together they mistook friendship for love and went along with what people wanted them to do for the sake of normality?

With Damon the intensity of her feelings for him scared her, but what scared her the most was the thought of becoming a vampire, feeding on humans. But then she thought back to the previous night and remembered the coppery taste of his blood in her mouth, that wasn't so bad. Bonnie sighed, since she'd been here she knew deep down who she wanted and it would take her time to get adjusted to the fallout from her decision, but her heart had made it's own mind up; she loved Damon, not Matt.

The next morning she ached all over and had a couple of bruises on her legs and arms but nothing a sweater and jeans couldn't cover up. Her heart was a different matter, should she phone him and break the news or fly back and tell him? If she flew back then so would Damon and then there would be a fight. Not good.

The phone rang. It was Matt, she should have known.

"Hi Matt." she tried to sound cheerful but it was forced cheerfulness.

"Bonnie, I'm sorry. I love you but I think we should break up." Bonnie stood on the phone dumbfounded. "You were going to break up anyway weren't you. I'm beginning to see a pattern emerging here." he laughed humourlessly.

"Oh Matt. We got married too soon, you know that. We had barely been going out for a month before we got engaged!" At that point Bonnie lost control and started crying down the phone.

"I was such a bad wife. I'm so sorry, you deserve someone much better than me. I knew it was wrong to get married but I thought it was nerves." Matt was starting to make sniffling noises himself.

"It's alright Bon. I know. Are you coming back?" Bonnie sighed.

"I don't know Matt. I'll have to let you know," she could sense Damon outside and he knew everything she was saying and thinking, she didn't want him in just yet.

"Alright. Well, good luck Bon. Keep in touch eh." With that Matt hung up.

Damon was standing next to her and she turned and buried her head into his soft black cotton sweater while he just held her until the tears subsided.

When she managed to look up at his face, it was grave. Realisation and horror dawned on Bonnie, "No!!! We have to get Stefan and Elena to stop him!" she rushed upstairs and grabbed her cell phone, dialling Elena's number. Damon stood in the doorway watching her intently.

"Don't just stand there! Do something!" she screamed at him, Damon turned and walked out of the room leaving a hysterical Bonnie dialling Elena's number. He quietly picked up the house phone and dialled a number, he muttered something very softly to the person on the other end and hung up. By the time he got back to the bedroom Bonnie had thrown some things in a bag, grabbed her passport and was rushing out of her room, he stepped in front of her and held her arms tight so she couldn't struggle. "Let me go! I have to stop him!" she yelled, Damon's face was like thunder as she struggled against him. "There's nothing that you or I can do," Bonnie screamed no and kicked him in the shin making him wince. "Stefan's going to go and look for him, there's nothing more that we can do."

Bonnie still struggled against him, "it's all my fault, if I hadn't chose you instead of him…" she trailed off as the tears fell.

This is why I shouldn't get involved with humans thought Damon. "Now listen to me Bonnie. We have to wait for my brother, he'll find Matt and he's going to call." He was trying his best but he knew where this was going to end up, "I couldn't bear it if he died because of me. Because of us.."

Damon sighed and looked up to the ceiling, he was fast loosing his patience. "When you left Fells' Church he knew there was a chance that you wouldn't be coming back to him. He's had two months to prepare himself for this outcome and if you care to remember I have done nothing to force your hand." Bonnie slapped him but he didn't move, "how dare you blame me!" she spat.

"I'm not. I'm simply pointing out that it was a fair contest and the best man won. Besides, as I've already pointed out. Matt knew that there was a 50/50 chance of loosing you." Bonnie rushed away with her head in hands leaving Damon fuming at the top of the stairs.

As soon as he heard the front door go he was outside the house and in front of Bonnie blocking her path. "What do you think you're doing you stupid little fool?!" he snarled, "what do you think!" she yelled back. She knew she'd made him angry, she could feel power radiating from him. "I am sorely tempted to leave you to do whatever the hell you want after all the trouble you've caused me," he hissed. Damon grabbed her arms and Bonnie slumped into them.

An hour later the phone rang, Damon picked it up. "Damon? Is Bonnie there?" Stefan's voice sounded grave. "She's asleep. She was hysterical so I had to influence her and you can tell Matt, that I'll kill him myself next time I see him. She's quite the little hellcat when she gets going."

"I was too late Damon" Stefan's voice was at breaking point. "He, he hung himself. He was dead by the time I got to his house." Damon sighed.

"I'll tell her when she wakes up." Just as he went to hang up Stefan called his name.

"What now?" he asked sharply, in no mood for his brother's lectures.

"Take care of her Damon, please." Damon slammed the phone down and went upstairs to wake Bonnie.

She took it better than he expected, he sat there and held her while she cried her little heart out.

The next day after saying goodbye to her Gran, they started the long journey back to Fells' Church. She barely uttered a word to Damon until he dropped her off at her house, "I'll ring you." and then she disappeared inside.

He went straight to the boarding house where Stefan was on the porch waiting for him. "She's at her house safe and sound." Stefan frowned at his older brother.

"Give her time Damon, you know what it's like." Damon nodded. Elena emerged on the porch looking tired and drained, she took one look at Damon and with hate in her eyes said to him "go away you sick bastard! Matt and Bonnie were fine until you came along, now he's dead and his death is on your conscious!"

Stefan got up and held his girlfriend tenderly "Elena, that's not fair! It's not his fault. Bonnie and Matt were having problems practically from the off." Elena glared at Stefan. "How can you take his side after all the trouble he's caused?!" Damon turned and started to walk away, before Stefan could stop him there was a blur and then the sound of powerful wing beats filled the air as the crow took off.

The next two weeks were a blur to Bonnie, the funeral took place a couple of days later and she felt as though the whole town was blaming her for his death, including herself. But as she slowly started thawing towards the end of the second week she found herself missing Damon, she had asked Stefan where he was but Stefan didn't know and Elena just stormed off in a huff.

Bonnie tried to talk to Elena but Elena shut the door on her but Bonnie was past caring. All that she could think about was Damon and how much she had probably hurt him by blaming him for Matt's death.

Bonnie made up her mind that she had chosen Damon and there was no going back because she really loved him, so she depleted her college fund and booked a cheap hotel in Florence for 2 weeks in the hope that she would be able to find him and that he would forgive her.


	7. Chapter 7

Okay guys, as it's the last chapter it's a long one.

Thank you so much for all the kind reviews.

The day after she arrived in Florence, Bonnie went out and started exploring Florence. She noticed that the sky was overcast and took it to be a good sign that Damon was still in town.

Bonnie had phoned Stefan before she left and told him that she was going after Damon. Stefan had given her the address of the apartment that they had last stayed in at her insistence, but warned her that it was very unlikely Damon wouldn't be staying there. He also told her that Damon had been hunting in the bars and clubs that tourists went to so Bonnie had made sure that she packed some of the designer clothes she had taken with her from America to Scotland.

Bonnie soon discovered that there were a lot of dark haired, gorgeous Italian men that drove black Ferraris in Florence, so she would have to rely on her psychic powers to find him. Bonnie was feeling pretty miserable; in a city of this size she didn't know how she would find him in two weeks, so she decided to try a spell to help her. Later that day she went to the Boboli Gardens with the ingredients and found a quiet place in the meadow of columns. She had written a letter to Damon and in it had explained everything to him and had told him of her feelings for him.

Dear Damon,

Matt's suicide was such a shock to me, I felt so guilty and so shocked by it that I wasn't in my right mind when I said those things to you.

I've had some time to think and you were right about everything, it wasn't my fault that he died, he'd been taking anti-depressants but I didn't know. He hid them from me so that I wouldn't worry and I guess me running off to Edinburgh pushed him over the edge. He said in his suicide note that he wanted me to be happy with whatever I chose.

I chose you Damon and I do love you. I just needed some time to grieve for Matt, I hope you understand. I'm here in the Boboli Gardens in the meadow of columns waiting for you; if you don't come in the next hour then I'll scour the bars of Florence for the next two weeks for you. If you don't come to me by then I'll presume that you don't love me anymore and I'll go back home.

Please come if you can forgive me.

Love

Bonnie.

She burnt the letter in the flame of the blue candle, letting the ashes scatter on the wind, and then she burnt some Thyme and let that scatter. All she had to now was to wait and see.

Bonnie waited for 2 hours and nothing happened, no one appeared. Her heart sank. She got up and left, not looking anyone in the eyes in case she started to cry.

On the way back to her hotel she grabbed a slice of pizza and started to walk over the Ponte-Vechio, looking at the souvenir shops to keep her mind off things. Soon the shops gave way to open bridge and then she saw a bronze bust surrounded by railings and a young couple giggling while they put padlocks around the railings.

Bonnie nearly cried. She'd gone from two men to none, why was she so cursed?

She stood next to the statue and looked out sadly over the bridge, suddenly she wasn't hungry anymore. She threw the pizza in the bin and walked a fast walk back to her hotel, once safely inside her room she laid on the bed and started to cry, eventually falling asleep.

She slept fitfully, dreaming of Damon standing outside her hotel, but when she ran out to meet him and tried to hug him, he pushed her away and flew away as a crow.

When she woke up it was dark. She had a quick shower, got dressed in a dress she bought from Fells' Church and then went out to explore Florence by night.

She went into bar after bar, spending half an hour in each and trying to use her psychic senses to find him, but by 1am she was tired, a bit drunk and had almost given up all hope of finding him.

For the rest of the time she was in Florence, Bonnie tried lots of different spells but he didn't come. She went every night and stayed out until the last bar in Florence shut, but although there were loads of guys trying to pick her up, she didn't find the one she was looking for. The days were spent trying to cover every inch of Florence trying to find him, but she never did.

Soon it was her last day and Bonnie decided to have one last stab at finding Damon. She had been telling the bartenders that she'd had an argument with her Florentine boyfriend who had moved back and she was trying to find him to say sorry, but she couldn't find him. She gave them a description of him and told them where she was staying in case they happened to see him and then last night she heard some American tourists discussing the bloke with the coal black eyes who had been chatting up one of their girlfriends and how he had invited her back to his apartment in the same building as the Uffizi Gallery. It seemed that the boyfriend had come running from the other end of the bar and tried to start a fight with Damon, but had found himself flying through the air.

Bonnie had rushed out of the bar and down the road to the Uffizi, sure enough there was black Ferrari sitting outside, her heart leapt. She buzzed every buzzer hoping to hear his voice, but it was only women that answered. She sat on the step; he had to come out sometime. But at 1 am she had given up and gone home.

Today she went back to the same place and put a copy of the letter that she had burnt on his windscreen, she was just about to walk away when she heard his voice.

"Ah, piccolina, I'm surprised it took you long to find me." Bonnie turned around and Damon was standing on the doorstep leaning casually against the wall, his eyes as black as coal and an expression of amusement on his face.

Just then a leggy brunette opened the front door and went straight over to Damon. She pushed her body against his and kissed him on the mouth passionately.

Bonnie gasped, and ran off with tears in her eyes. How could she have been so stupid think that he loved silly little Bonnie? He must have been playing with her all along.

Suddenly she ran into someone and but as she looked up to apologise she found herself in Damon's arms.

"Let me go!" Bonnie struggled to get away, but Damon held her tight.

"No." he said with a smirk on his face. "I rarely make mistakes Bonnie and when I do I never make the same one twice." Bonnie opened her mouth in astonishment but the words never came, as Damon's lips covered hers in a surprisingly passion kiss.

"I'm sorry," she said when she finally came up for air. Damon just smiled a dazzling smile at her, but she noticed that his eyes were full of lights.

"I'm ready Damon; if being with you means becoming a Vampire then I'll do it. I'll do anything for you." Damon's face became serious as he stroked her cheek with his hand.

"In a few years perhaps, not just yet and besides, there's something I want to show you before we fly." Bonnies' face lit up.

"Oh Damon!" she threw her arms around his neck, almost catching him off guard.

A couple of days later, they arrived back in Fells' Church, Bonnie went back home to her parent's house and slept while Damon paid Elena a visit.

Stefan had gone out hunting and Elena was alone in the boarding house. He used the conventional entrance for once and when he opened the door to her room Elena was so surprised that she dropped the book she was reading.

"What are you doing here? Get out!" she spat.

"I came to have a little chat with you Elena, about Bonnie." Damon perched on the window watching her reaction.

"What about her?" she asked, quietly.

"She's mine Elena and I'm not going to give her up so you had better get used to the idea, just like Bonnie and Meredith did when you told them what my brother was." He smiled cruelly when she swallowed.

"I seem to remember that you broke up with Matt and started going out with my brother a couple of weeks later. Yet you have the audacity to critisce Bonnie for choosing me over Matt." Elena's mouth dropped open.

"Matt was a fool who had been depressed for a long time and he didn't tell anyone. He knew there was a chance that she wouldn't be his and it was her decision alone. I didn't influence her."

Elena opened her mouth to speak but Damon held up an elegant finger to shush her. "You had your chance to choose me Elena and but you chose Stefan. It's too late now." Damon grinned at her and jumped from the window before Elena could throw anything at him.

Stefan was waiting for him below the window. "That was a bit harsh Damon." Damon raised an eyebrow, "she needed to see the truth. I have no time for little hypocrite's brother, especially one like her." Stefans' eyes widened in shock and then narrowed. "Don't talk to my fiancée like that ever again!" he snarled. Damon got hold of Stefan's jacket and shoved him into the wall of the boarding house.

"Then don't let your fiancée talk to my …. Talk to Bonnie like she did ever again. Otherwise I'll make both your lives a living hell!" Damon dropped Stefan and flew away.

Elena came rushing out the door, guessing what all the noise was about. "Stefan! Are you okay?" Stefan grinned at her.

"I think my brother's fallen in love." Elena looked shocked as Stefan put his arm around her as they walked back inside.

Elena called Bonnie later that night to apologise and Bonnie accepted. "Oh Elena I'm so happy! I'm moving to Florence after Christmas and Damon proposed to me before we left Florence!" Bonnies' words rushed out of her mouth so quickly that Elena barely understood.

"Bonnie McCullough! You get yourself round here right now! I want to see the ring and hear every little detail! I can't believe you were just going to tell me over the phone!" Elena yelled. Stefan had been trying to read on the bed and not listen to their conversation, but at the word ring his head shot up from his book.

Elena hung up on Bonnie and turned to Stefan, neither of them knowing what to say, Elena dialled Meredith's number to tell her the news. Meredith had been trying to come to terms with Matt's death herself, but after Bonnie went away, she and Alaric had been over the boarding house a lot.

Soon the now familiar Ferrari engine roared up to the boarding house and Meredith, Elena and Stefan were waiting for Bonnie who practically flew out of the car and straight into Meredith and Elena.

Stefan laughed and stepped back as the girls hugged each other warmly and then practically ripped her hand off to look at the ring.

The ring was a 24 carat gold Giorsal ring that had a huge Ruby heart with two hands holding it; the crown was silver with each of the three points made from a diamond.

Bonnie wore it so the heart pointed towards the tip of her finger and the crown towards her knuckle.

"Congratulations Bonnie, may I see the ring?" asked Stefan as he gently took Bonnies' hand and looked at the ring. "It's a Scottish version of the Claddagh" she explained to Stefan. Stefan smiled at her, "it's as beautiful as you are Bonnie. My brother had better look after you" Bonnie flushed bright red and thanked him, glancing sideways at Damon who was leaning against the Ferrari grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"I have to get something to eat and so I'll see you girls later. Have fun." said Stefan as he went over to Damon. "Coming?" Damon looked at his brother as if he had been scrapped off a shoe. "To watch you hunt animals!?"

Stefan glared at him, "not a chance boy." Stefan sighed and walked off, "but I might give you a lift if you ask nicely." Stefan turned round and got into the Ferrari, as they headed off into the night Stefan glanced curiously at Damon. "Who are and what have you done with my brother?" Damon arched his eyebrow but said nothing and Stefan found himself grinning.

Back at the house the girls had made it upstairs to where a Chinese takeaway was waiting to be eaten. After the three of them had helped themselves to a plateful of food the interrogation started. "Right, where, when, how?" Asked Meredith as they sat on the floor, Bonnie grinned.

"It took me two weeks to find him; he was ignoring my spells as he wanted me to come to him. Anyway, I didn't have long to get to the airport but he said that we would have to get a later flight as he wanted to show me the view from Fort Belvedere which was built not that long before he was born.

You can get up onto the roof through all these art galleries and when we got up there the view was amazing, you could see the whole of Florence and the hills above it. He used his power to influence everyone else to go away which I though was a bit odd, I was just about to ask him what he thought he was doing but he gave me the ring box and asked me to open it. Oh my god I nearly died when I saw the ring! And it's engraved as well, look." Bonnie took off her ring and showed the inscription inside- Gra Go Deo.

"What does it mean?" asked Meredith whose eyebrows had been raised throughout the whole story. "Love Forever in Gaelic which was the language of the Druids and they still speak it in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. How romantic is that?" Bonnie sighed heavily.

Elena choked on her noodles and Meredith shook her head. "Did he actually ask you to marry him?" asked Elena, curious at the apparently sudden change in Damon's behaviour. "He said that I was both beautiful and powerful and that he wanted me to join him forever. This _is _Damon Salvatore we're talking about remember."

Elena and Meredith exchanged glances; did their friend really know what she was letting herself into?

"Bonnie, when Damon says forever, he means forever," warned Elena. Bonnie frowned, "I know that Elena, I knew that before I made my choice. He wants me to wait a couple of years and then it'll happen when the time's right. Before you go on at me about eating like Stefan or Damon I haven't decided yet but I'm giving both options serious thought."

Meredith and Elena smiled at each other, "I'm pleased for you Bonnie, I really am. We were just worried that you didn't know what you were getting yourself into. But you do and you've made your choice so as your friends we'll be here for you, no matter what" Meredith said giving Bonnie a hug and a meaningful look at Elena.

The girls spent the rest of the night catching up, Meredith explained that Alaric didn't want to come because Damon scared him and he knew it was going to be a girls' night anyway. Bonnie told them of her experiences in Scotland and how Damon had saved her twice, leaving out all the biting and blood giving, and of her quest to find Damon in Florence. She told them that the leggy brunette was from another apartment that had come out the same time as Damon and that was why she thought they were together.

Elena listened intently to her friends, she didn't like what Bonnie was going to do and she knew Meredith didn't either, but then she thought of when she became a vampire and told them about Stefan and Damon

Soon it was getting on for midnight and they heard the Ferrari's engine signalling that there party had ended and it was time to go. Meredith was getting picked up by Alaric at midnight but then they all heard the sound of his car. Meredith shot a worried look over at Bonnie.

"I'll see what I can do, but if he's in one of his moods…" Meredith nodded. The three of them went downstairs together; Alaric had just gotten out of his car and nearly got back in when he saw Damon.

"Scared?" Damon asked Alaric, with an amused look on his face. Alaric nodded.

"Good, you should be." Damon gave him a toothy grin at him and then was suddenly standing next Alaric, "you still haven't encountered any of our kind except us then?"

Before Alaric could reply Bonnie ran over and grabbed Damon's arm, "I'm feeling a bit tired Damon, can we go home?" she asked sweetly.

Damon smiled as he bent to kiss Bonnies' hand. "Of course," he said softly and escorted her back to the Ferrari with her still on his arm.

Alaric meanwhile, had just begun to breathe again and Meredith was over to him like a shot, reassuring him that Damon was playing with him.

Stefan laughed softly and shook his head. "I think we've all underestimated Bonnies' powers you know," he put his arm around Elena as Bonnie and Damon drove off into the night at full speed.

"How so?" Elena asked softly.

"Because she's got my brother well and truly spellbound." he chuckled as they waved to Meredith and Alaric and walked in to the boarding house.


End file.
